Buckle



Jan. s, 1924.

` H. A. TIEMANN BUCKLE Filed June '7, 1923 Patented Jan. 8, 1924.

s'rATEs realza HARRY A. TIEMANN, or rom: COLLINS, COLORADO.

BUCKLE.

Application filed June 7, l1923.

To all fr/1.0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY A.. TIEMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Collins, in the county of Larimer and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to buckles of the oiie-piececlainping type. Y

The object of the invention is to produce a buckle of attractive appearance which can be stamped out in one piece from sheet metal and -which will combine moderate cost with durability, certainty of clamping action, and ease of manipulation.

The general principles of the invention can be best explained after describing in detail the preferred embodiment ofthe invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In this drawing:

F 1 is a kfront elevation of the buckle;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on theline 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fiont elevationshowing the buckle mounted on a beltor strap, a part of the latter being broken away to illustrate the engagement of the strap with part-s of the buckle;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 5

F ig. 7 is a section on the line 'i-T of Fig. G and Fig. 8 is a perspective view .of the buckle. The buckle consists of a marginal frame it) whose outer contour isshown as rectanguiar but may assume any form, and whose inner contour is preferably rectangular as shown, though it may depart somewhat from this form provided requirements hereinafter specified are met.

Formed integrally with the marginal frame 10 are two cross bars or members 11 and 12; the inembei 12 being preferably, but not necessarily, formed with an extension 13 intended to engage a retaining loop on the clothes of the wearer when the buckle is used as a belt buckle. This loop is indicated with dotted lines at 14 in Fig. 5. The extension 13 is preferably formed with an Serial No. 644,017.

enlargement or head 15 to maintain engagement with the loop 14.

As clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the

cross bar 12 forms the meansof attachment of the buckle to the belt or strap 16 with i which it is used. The strap is formed with an aperture or slot 17 through which the projection 13 is inserted and the end of the strap beyond this 'aperture is bent back and stitched or otherwise connected to themain portion of the strap as indicated at 18 in Fig. 6. Y

The end of the marginal frame 10,l adjacent the cross bar 12, serves .as a keeper for the vfree end of the strap and forv urposes of description this end of the buckle will hereafter be referred to as the keeper end Y of the buckle.

Inasmuch as two thicknesses of the strap pass over the cross bar 12, and then through the interval between it and the keeper end of the buckle, the bar 12 is spaced from the end member of the marginal frame 10 a correspondingly greater distance as coml.;

pared with the distance between the cross bar l1 in the opposite end of the frame 10 which, for lack of a better term, will be designated as the free end of the buckle.

As best shown in 2, the marginal and 4, the crossbars 11 and 12 are serted end ofthe strap is bowed forward,

both Vlongitudinally and transversely, be tween the end' members of 'the marginal frame 10. This is clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, and serves the useful purpose of increasing greatly the frictional engagement of the inserted strap end with the cross bars 11 and 12, and with the end members of the marginal frame 10.

Furthermore, the forms of the parts are so coordinated kthat the pull of the permanently attached strap end on the cross bar 12 and its forward pressure toward the keeper end of the marginal fra-me 10 tends to swing the free end of the buckle inward or toward the body of the wearer.

This

tendency is resisted by the pull of the strap end on the free end of the marginal frame and the effect is to produce a pronounced clamping action on the strap end at the keeper end of the belt.

In effect, the 2greater clamping action is exerted at this point, and to release the free end of the belt the procedure is to draw the keeper end of the. buckle forward or away from the body of the wearer, permitting the strap end to. be withdrawn. Accordingly', the longitudinal bowing of the marginal frame of the buckle, and the forward bowing of the cross bars are important factors in securing the necessary clamping action and tests have shown that a buckle made as described above, unlike most one-piece clamping buckles, can be used with straps of decidedly different thicknesses.

rihe feature of bowing the belt both longitudinally and transversely as it Ipasses 'through the buckle is therefore important from the standpoint of utility. It is also important from the aesthetic standpoint, as it imparts to the buckle and strap a very attractive appearance.

While the buckle primarily is intended for use on belts and has been described in detail in that connection, l do not thereby intend to imply any limitation to that field.

lllhen used as a general purpose buckle, the projection 13 with its head l5 will commonly have no function and accordingly may be omitted.

' lllhile l prefer the simple rectangular form of buckle illustrated, it is obvious that the external contour can be varied according` tothe taste of the designer. j

rilhe interna-l contour of the marginal frame should be made rectangular for best effect, but can depart somewhat from that form provided this contour and the spacing` and form of the cross bars ll and l2 be so coordinated as to produce the described double flexure of the belt and the described clamping action under the keeper end of the buckle.

lWhat is claimed is: l

l. A buckle of the clamping type comprising in one piece an open rectangular frame, bowed longitudinally to produce a convex front face; and two cross bars spaced from 'the end members of said frame and substantially parallel thereto, said members being offset to the rear adjacent their points of connection with the side ymembers of the frame, and bowed forward intermediate said tending therefrom toward the middle of the buckle.

3. A one-piece clamping buckle, formed with two transverse slots through which the strap to be clamped is inserted, portions of the buckle intermediate said slots being so bowed forward as tov hold the overlying portion of the inserted strap bowed both longitudinally and transversely et. A buckle ofthe clamping type comprising in one piece an open frame and two cross bars spaced from the end members of said frame, said members being offset to the rear adjacent their points of connection with the side members of the frame and bowed forward intermediate said oifsets, the parts being so constructed and arranged that a strap clamped in said buckle is curved both longitudinally and transversely within the limits of the buckle frame.

5. A buckle of the clamping type comprising in one piecey an open substantially rectangular fra-me, and two cross bars, one of said cross bars being spaced from the free end of the buckle frame to leave a strap receiving slot, the other bar being spaced from the keeper end of the buckle to leave a keeper slot, both cross bars being offset to therear adjacent their point-s of connection with the buckle frame and bowed forward, iiitermediate such offsets, the various parts being so formed that the buckle is urged by pull of the connected strap to exert a clamping pressure on the strap where it passes under the keeper end of the buckle frame.

fn testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification.

HARRY A. TEMANN. 

